The Los Angeles Dodgers’ fifth annual Blue Diamond Gala Wednesday evening at Dodger Stadium was expected to raise more than $3 million for the team’s foundation and its Dodgers RBI youth baseball and Dodgers Dreamfields programs.
Retired tennis champions Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss were recognized at the sold-out gala for their ongoing commitment to creating positive change through sports.
The longtime partners serve on the executive committee of the Women’s Sports Foundation, which King founded in 1974. It works to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity and has awarded more than $80 million in educational and cash grants.
King and Kloss became members of the Dodgers ownership group in September.
“The work that Ms. King and Ms. Kloss do to enhance lives through sports, leadership and advocacy is perfectly aligned with our own `Bigger Than Baseball’ mentality,” said Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation CEO Nichol Whiteman.
Grammy Award-winning singer Bruno Mars performed.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is the team’s official charity, administering programs serving youth and communities at large and providing grants to area nonprofit organizations.